1.M/S/P (10-0-0) to approve minutes with corrections from November 20, 2009
meeting. Glenn Wright arrived after this vote.

2.Announcements

There will be a Graduate Council meeting on
December 18 to discuss full time graduate faculty status and RSEL grant issues.

The Graduate Council will meet on January 20 to
hear student appeals.

3.English as a second language (ESL) admission requirements

A letter from Provost Kathleen Enz Finken
clarifying her position on ESL admission requirement policy was read by the
council. Kasi Periyasamy presented a proposal from the Computer Science
Department to insert language to the effect that graduate programs may allow
exceptions to the general ESL admissions requirements for special programs.
Current and previously proposed language for ESL admission policy was also
reviewed. A discussion ensued, leading to a consensus that graduate
program directors should be given flexibility to admit students who are likely
to succeed, despite having ESL scores that are lower than the official admission
standards.

M/S/P (11-0-0) to approve the following ESL
Admission Policy:

TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213
(computer-based) or 79 (internet-based). This is not required for native
speakers of English or for applicants currently enrolled in or graduated from
an undergraduate degree program in the United States. In lieu of a TOEFL score,
a band score of 6 is acceptable on the International English Language Testing
System (IELTS) exam. Some programs require higher scores for admission,
including the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Graduate programs may
allow exceptions to the language proficiency admission requirements if there is
evidence of a student’s ability to succeed in the graduate program.

Previously proposed language regarding admission
to a graduate program on probation prior to meeting official ESL admission
standards was discussed. Consensus was to not bring this language forward
for a second reading.